Jeremy Renner was largely in films like S.W.A.T. and 28 Weeks Later before the Oscar-winning drama The Hurt Locker gave him his breakthrough role. Since then, his profile has heightened considerably with roles in films like The Town, which garnered him a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination, Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and the mega-hit, The Avengers.

Now, the 41 year-old carries on what has become an action hero dynasty with a role as agent Aaron Cross in The Bourne Legacy. Renner talks about what it was like doing a film like this compared to doing Hawkeye in The Avengers.

“Well, I think the difficulties were always, everything’s the same, difficult,” Jeremy says, “No different, everything’s a challenge, just different set of circumstances. I’m always lucky enough to have intermission.”

“Avengers to Bourne, so I had a running start with that,” he adds, “So, if anything, it might have been a little easier, even though what required me of that was a lot more.”

The Bourne Legacy is the first film in the series without its main character Jason Bourne, played by the film’s predecessors by Matt Damon. Jeremy was asked about how he felt this agent, Aaron Cross, was different from Bourne.

“Well, I don’t start off by figuring out the character by comparing it to another character,” he says, “I look from page 1 to page 120 and overall, the circumstances with Tony [Gilroy], and figure it out from there. But, yeah, the differences are, which is very exciting to me, is a new palette of colors and a new canvas to paint upon with the circumstances of being willing.”

“I feel connected to the idea of wanting to belong to something, to have a sense of purpose as a man on the planet,” Jeremy continues, “I think most people do, and that’s what I initially connected to, a guy that really wanted to belong, whether it was the military and signing you up for a program that made you really feel like you’re doing some sort of good on the planet.”

Jeremy talks about the biggest challenge of doing The Bourne Legacy.

“Not getting hurt, pretty much not getting injured,” Renner answers, “I wanted to do as much as I possibly could because of the responsibility of the authenticity of the three films prior. It would do a great disservice and injustice to this film if I could not perform what was required. And I like those challenges, I like those physical obstacles and it’s a job, page 1 to 120, tremendous casting and directors and writers and it’s exciting to go to work.”

Renner was asked if he did get injured at all during the film shoot.

“I hurt my feelings here and there, but you get banged up a little bit,” Jeremy replies, “If you don’t get banged up, you’re not working hard enough in my mind. I’ve never had an injury stop me from doing what I need to do.”

Jeremy was asked whether or not Matt Damon commented to him about taking over for the Bourne franchise.

“No, we didn’t reach out to each other at all,” Renner says, “And really spoke about it creatively only inadvertently to him. I’ve known him for years, but ran into him before we started and more just had a good time at a birthday party, but that was about it.”

Renner was asked if he found the process of filming The Bourne Legacy daunting.

“You take running downhill, I suppose,” Jeremy describes, “That’s what it felt like, running downhill. My personal workload I felt was minimal compared to the entire process of filmmaking. But for me, it’s just getting enough sleep and being physically adept to be able to perform when I needed to perform. And that was it everyday, fighting, training, stretching, whatever I had to do to get through the day.

“It’s basic, sleep, eat, there’s food, there’s water, now go do this, and those are really the treats, when you have moments like I have with Edward in our one little exchange,” he adds, :And I had a handful of them with Rachel, those were like the really the little treats along the way that kind of keep you going through the really physical part of the movie.”

Jeremy was asked what agent she finds more dangerous, Jason Bourne or Aaron Cross.

“I’d take the Hulk,” Renner replies.

Renner was also asked about what we could expect for the sequel from the huge hit The Avengers.

“I’m excited that the architects and creators behind this whole thing have cleverly left it wide open for fans like myself to wonder what’s going to go on next,” Jeremy answers.